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Pools of Poison
This story is made by IcewrathXFeatherswirlXCraneheart for Bluestar&Brightheart's contest. Chapter 1 "Don't hesitate, Adderpaw, you mouse-brain!" a scathing voice called. Adderpaw's blue eyes flashed and he looked through the dark foggy forest. In his distracted state, he felt claws rake across his cheek. Adderpaw hissed and lunged at the cat he was fighting. He pinned him down. The other cat growled and hit him on the face. Adderpaw slashed him back harder. The cat let out a yowl and a white tom hopped off a boulder. "Good job, Adderpaw," the white cat grinned in approval. He turned to the gray tom that Adderpaw had been fighting and growled, "You, Salamaderpaw, need more work." "Yes, Snowtuft," Salamanderpaw dipped his head. "Sorry," Adderpaw whispered to Salamanderpaw as Snowtuft stalked away. Salamanderpaw nodded, then the dark forest started to blur and disappear. Adderpaw woke in his nest next to Salamanderpaw. Their nests were blood-stained from training. Adderpaw got up and shook his pelt. Training that night had to be cut short because of the Gathering. Both Adderpaw and Salamanderpaw got to go because of their battle skills, thanks to the extra training and this was their first Gathering. Only a moon ago were they apprenticed. Nightstar let out a yowl, "We are leaving for the Gathering!" Adderpaw scurried to join the group of cats leaving for the Gathering when he heard a scolding voice call, "Adderpaw! Salamanderpaw! Come here!" Adderpaw skidded to a halt and turned to see the medicine cat, Snowfoot. "Were you clawing in your sleep again?" Snowfoot demanded, examining the claw marks on Adderpaw's and Salamanderpaw's faces. Adderpaw nodded. Salamanderpaw did, too. Snowfoot sighed. "I'll let you go to the Gathering as soon as I am done treating you." She went into her den and brought out a bunch of herbs Adderpaw didn't recognize. Not that he cared, anyway. She chewed them up and started applying the poutice to their faces. Then she wrapped them in cobwebs. "Ok, you can..." Snowfoot started, but Adderpaw and Salamanderpaw were already at the entrance of the camp in an eager scurry to catch up with the ShadowClan cats. Salamanderpaw laughed, "We just left her in the dust." Adderpaw laughed, too, but he had to admit, his face felt a whole lot better. "There you two are," Salamanderpaw's mentor, Swiftclaw, whispered. "Sorry," Salamanderpaw meowed, ducking his head. Adderpaw nodded and let his gaze wander to the forests of ThunderClan, then to the hills of WindClan. "Why are we going this way?" Adderpaw complained, "It's longer." "Because Sunstar wants to show that we ShadowClan are strong and can do what we want. She wants us to be late to the Gathering," Adderpaw's mentor, Breezeface, explained. "Oh," Adderpaw meowed. He looked down at his paws, which ached. He looked back up again. They were crossing into RiverClan territory. When they crossed over onto the island, they were met by uneasy stares from the other Clans. Adderpaw held his tail high and stuck his nose into the air, soaking it all in. One of the leaders, Brindlestar, glared at Froststar and looked down at her disdainfully. "So, Froststar.... Where have you been?" Brindlestar demanded, his eyes reflecting fury. Froststar stared back cooly. The WindCan cats bristled alongside their leader. Adderpaw's eyes widened and a mixture of excitement and fear. Is there about to be a fight at my first Gathering? Chapter 2